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POLYMURIEL 

MILDRED JOHNSTON LANDONE 



POLYMURIEL 



A SUGGESTION TO SIMPLIFY 
woman's APPAREL 



BY 

MILDRED JOHNSTON LANDONE 



NEW YORK 

DOUGLAS C. McMURTRIE 
1914 



Copyright, 1914, by 
Mildred Johnston Landone 



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OCI 12 1914 



POLYMURIEL 

MY subject treats of the Polymuriel. 
The Polymuriel is an idea for a garment 
which is to have a wider range of useful- 
ness than the clothes with which we are blessed at 
the present time. 

The Polymuriel is not to undergo changes from 
season to season and year to year. 

I do not expect that you will enthuse immediately, 
as you have conjured up some weird uniform of 
grotesque outline and unbecoming features. 

I have in mind a garment built on feministic lines 
made to conform with our best esthetic standards of 
beauty. 

There are many features which I would like to 
recommend, but I prefer that the Polymuriel should 
be designed and competed for by our leading artists 
and to be offered for vote. 

Possibilities for attractive vests, collars and cuffs, 
girdles, should not be overlooked; for high or low 
neck, embroideries and laces or anything that appeals 
to the wearer. 

It is to be as beautiful as possible and yet consistent 
with health and comfort. 

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The Polymuriel is to be honored at any occasion, 
forenoon, afternoon, evening, at theatres, meetings, 
sociables, at home, in private and in public. 

I do not advocate by any means that all women on 
all occasions should appear garbed in this way. 
Though the idea seems preposterous, yet we are 
not disturbed by men following a uniform style of 
dress. 

I offer the Polymuriel for occasions when it is 
convenient, so that one may always have something 
which is acceptable and correct. 

It is to be a stable commodity, ever in readiness, 
ever a standby — friend in need — to assume a place 
much like that which bread assumes in our diet, as 
welcome on the rich man's as on the poor man's table. 

Another pretty idea would be if each state had a 
special costume which at interstate gatherings would 
create an interest more significant than that created 
by our present haphazard costuming. Let us imagine 
a meeting of some sort where women are present — 
one woman in red with a black plume swaying back- 
ward to the intense annoyance of her neighbor and 
the great amusement of the audience. Another 
woman in green, with a multicolored hat. Another in 
mourning, another in blue, another in white. The one 
in blue, is, you feel, conscious of her irresistibility. 

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POLYMURIEL 

The one in mourning is entirely too hilarious for her 
sombre costume. And thus you meditate subcon- 
sciously. 

But all the while instead of being concentrated 
you are distracted. Perhaps I am particularly spite- 
ful, or partial to my idea, but in time you will agree 
with me. 

We will consider, for example, that this is a meet- 
ing for the benefit of impecunious girls, and that the 
women on the platform are wealthy and clothed 
accordingly. I feel that the disparagement of rich 
and poor can be only detrimental — even cruel. 

Or, let us say that one of the women on the plat- 
form will after this meeting visit some family in need 
or a family that has had a bereavement, and the 
flashy colors will naturally be out of place. Or one 
who has preferred to dress in keeping with the char- 
acter of the meeting is to attend a luncheon of a gay 
character. For all these contingencies the Polymuriel 
would be indispensible. 

For inclement weather when you regret putting on 
anything of a perishable character yet the occasion 
requires a dignified costume. 

At all gatherings of a serious nature, for instance 
at church, the last place in the world to advertise the 
modiste. And I say in good faith that many people 

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stay away from church because they dread the com- 
petition waged in this field. 

For traveling it would be found indispensable 
numberless times. 

The evolution of costume has been extraordinary. 
Everything imaginable has been fashionable. Nar- 
row shoulders, wide shoulders, arms like balloons, 
arms like spindles, hips high, hips low, hips broad, 
hips narrow. Waistline under the arm, waistline at 
the hips, now finally it has slipped down to the ankles. 
We might make an innovation with the Polymuriel 
and have the waistline at the waistline. However, it 
would not do to be extreme. 

Hair fluffed, waved, sleek, wild, borrowed, greased, 
and dyed all colors of the rainbow. 

And shoes, once they were pointed to better ac- 
commodate^ — not your foot but the shoe manufac- 
turer. Another time they are broad, for the same 
reason. All kinds of heels to increase the height and 
the agony, and all the while physicians are busy 
alleviating suffering mankind afflicted with sunken 
arches, bunions, corns, drop-toes and the like. 

And to what end? One stands bewildered and asks 
why this effort? It surely cannot be to enhance the 
attractiveness of the female; for when we review the 

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galaxy of fashions that has been thrust upon long 
suffering womankind we must truly admit that the 
female is attractive in spite of these disfigurements. 
In contrast to this what a different sentiment is 
awakened by the presence of a Quakeress. We stand 
before a wonderful purity. The atmosphere is per- 
vaded with modesty and womanliness. We are 
uplifted from the commonplace, and the humane and 
heroic deeds of the early settlers pass before our 
minds. We soon become oblivious of the garment, 
we look for the charm of countenance we are sure to 
find. The wearer, without introduction, without a 
word, has a place assigned to her by virtue of tra- 
dition. 

Or what is more distinguished than the college cap 
and gown? The costume built on simple lines lends 
impressiveness as no other costume does. One seems 
to feel the breadth and generosity of intellectual 
progress. Is this merely association of ideas or is 
it the impression produced by generous folds, unin- 
terrupted lines and proud head dress that adds poise 
to the head and neck, unobstructed in their movements. 
When we see a large body of these men and women 
the unity of the picture adds weight to their purpose, 
force to their endeavors. To see them in their simple 
dignity makes a formidable impression. Whether 

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this be true or reflective I leave to you, but it is a 
factor that in the present turbulent times we cannot 
afford to disregard. 

Women of all spheres are stepping out into the 
world, and alone the battle is hard. But numbers 
would carry weight. They would give the impression 
of a unified body, of a seriousness of purpose that the 
heterogeneous character of the present attire cannot 
possibly produce. We would look like business. For 
some strange reason most of us have a horror of 
monotony. We believe that change is the only thing 
conducive to happiness. We associate individuality 
of color and cut with independence of movement, 
while a uniform of any description is a symbol of 
resignation, adherence to some cause or occupation. 
Though we have set fashions we cannot complain of 
uniformity. Changes are thrust upon us without our 
consent in rapid succession. That in former days 
when women raised their wool and flax and spun 
their thread the same garment was handed down 
from mother to daughter and from father to son 
would not lead us to believe there was dignity in 
such a custom. 

Yet if we accustomed ourselves to such an idea we 
would soon become reconciled to it. The Chinese 
take pride in wearing a costume of an ancestor in 

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which he has won distinction. Of course we are not 
Chinese, neither are our costumes as precious as 
those of the Chinese, but the idea involved is worthy 
of universal emulation. We dread monotony but 
we are not bored by the repetition of spring from year 
to year or the sameness of the rose or violet. Nor 
do we tire of the recurrence of a national costume. 
Indeed, we like to think of the Japanese in the terms 
of their national costume. 

I would like here to digress by telling you of the 
poetic way in which the Japanese choose the designs 
of their costumes. When a child is born the members 
of a family congregate and choose a flower or an insect 
which shall be the emblem of the child. Then each 
member makes a design and from among these the 
most appealing is chosen which for the rest of the 
child's life shall adorn its vestments. 

This is beautiful and artistic practice for which 
we can boast no parallel, and one can only hope that 
the custom will never become extinct. 

In our costuming there is nothing that holds us 
to it. On the contrary we no sooner have one costume 
than we immediately clamor for another. 

When a new style is announced we all gaze upon 
it in rapture and wonderment. Nothing previous has 
ever been as engaging and becoming. All hasten to 

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imitate, to possess. In a twinkling it has become 
ridiculous. 

A thing that is ridiculous at any time is ridiculous 
at all times. A garment that has been of service for 
a season, though it be above reproach in all other 
respects, has become impossible because it is out of 
style. Were we to wear it we would lose caste among 
our friends. Indeed we would soon be part and 
parcel of the out-of-date clothes. And the poorer we 
are the more careful we must be to conceal our plight 
because, by the vintage of our clothes, we are toler- 
ated. There seems something humorous in this 
attitude were there not also a pathetic side to it. 

We all know that money can be acquired in various 
ways not always to the credit of the possessor, so that 
fine clothes need not reflect fine acquisitiveness. 

It also happens that the better the materials the 
longer the lasting qualities, so that a person of esthetic 
taste is in a worse plight than one requiring new 
clothes because of the shoddiness and short-lived 
quality of her choice. 

A possessor of a garment of quality out of style is 
exposed to more severe criticism than the shoddy per- 
son who is in style. This state of affairs has not been 
brought about without specific cause. 

We all know how years ago there was a time hon- 
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ored institution known as the home dressmaker. She 
came by the day, armed with fashion plates and pat- 
terns, shears and spectacles. A large percentage of 
self-supporting women were engaged in this manner. 
In those days there was no agitation about women 
earning their own bread and taking it out of the 
mouth of poor man. It is only since he has taken 
this and kindred occupations out of the hands of 
women that this comment has arisen. 

Some enterprising firm then began the manufacture 
of woman's apparel. I can imagine that this was 
received with great favor for the dressmaker was not 
always reliable in more ways than one, and the com- 
fort of having a garment ready-to-wear with only the 
inconvenience or pleasure of locating and selecting it 
would necessarily find an increasing market. 

So far so good. 

The immigrant, for small wages, was glad to avail 
himself of the opportunity to sweat these things, and 
a few firms took unto themselves the lion's share of 
the profits that had been the livelihood of countless 
families. 

The immigrant pouring in upon our shores, the 
manufacturer saw his profit in rapidly changing styles 
and in such manner changed the styles so that it is 
almost impossible to renovate an old costume. We 

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have insidiously and without protest become the 
victims of circumstances. If this were merely a 
statement it would not matter much. But it entails 
serious consequences. 

There are many sensitive women, some of our best 
women, women whose minds and attributes would 
lend glory to our sex, who are shut in, year in, year 
out, for want of suitable or rather stylish clothes. It 
is easy to say that great minds should be above such 
trifles. Indeed, there are many who are above the 
desire to possess, but they are not above the hurt of 
the ridicule of their neighbors. In fact, the doors are 
shut to them not only in the social world but also in 
the business world. It goes so far that salary is 
meted out in proportion to extravagance in this 
direction. 

I will not dwell upon the small salaried girl who 
wastes her money on fineries. I am speaking for the 
sensible woman who stays at home because she has 
nothing to wear. I wonder whether you have ever 
been in such a predicament? It is most unpleasant. 
It is not of much moment when it occurs occasionally 
but when this condition is the rule, not among hun- 
dreds but hundreds of thousands of women, it is time 
the remedy were found. 

When we know there are only 490,000 people in 
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the 90,000,000 in the United States possessing an 
income of over $3000 yearly, we must admit that 
89,510,000 of us are in straitened circumstances- We 
must admit that it is a hardship for most of us to 
obey the dictates of fashion. That we are either 
stretching a point or sacrificing something to this end. 
When we realize the influence good women might 
exercise for the world's welfare we cannot help think- 
ing that we must either continue to relegate the 
impecunious woman to obscurity or give her the 
opportunity to come forth dignified and self-respect- 
ing. We all know these good stay-at-homes, women 
of unblemished lives, who have always worked for 
others and never had time to think of themselves, 
who have a wide range of experience and sympathy. 
They are shut in for want of time and money to pro- 
cure new things. And the more flighty women have 
greater influence in the world through which our sons 
and daughters must ultimately drift. 

It seems so clear to me. 

You all know the women I speak of. There are 
many and in all families. Mothers of growing chil- 
dren whose time and energy and money go for the 
needs of the home and education. Business women 
whose days are spent in offices and are too fatigued 
to give much time to fineries. The young, small- 

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salaried girl who has enjoyed a good education but is 
supporting a mother or brother. Teachers, social 
service workers, nurses, women who are engaged in 
work that takes most of their best time and energy. 
They have an occasional invitation but prefer to 
decline rather than procure a garment for which they 
will have no further use. They do not seek diversion, 
dreading the imperative expense. There might be 
some who already sympathize with the idea but the 
fear of conspicuousness alarms them. 

Has it ever occurred to you how very conspicuous 
mourning apparel is with its unsightly veils and 
repellant dull black color? And to affect it nowadays 
in the face of what it stands for? It is the remnant of 
barbaric superstition founded, no doubt, on the con- 
tagious nature of the epidemics and plagues prevalent 
in former times. 

The dead having been stricken with these diseases, 
all those who attended the sick and dead and all 
relatives were considered unclean and had to wear a 
token of black to warn others to keep at a distance. 

The Polymuriel could well be worn during the 
mourning period. But you remember I introduced 
the mourning costume to show you that even a con- 
spicuous circumstance does not arouse as much com- 
ment as you would believe. 

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POLYMURIEL 

I have until now spoken only of those women 
whose means are inadequate to allow them the luxury 
of the complete wardrobe necessary for social life. I 
want also to include those women who have not the 
leisure to assemble such a wardrobe or for those who 
wish to utilize their time to better advantage. 

If the time and money expended for clothes through 
the centuries had been turned into other channels, 
what could not have been accomplished ! 

There was a time when men went about decked in 
baby blue, lace, flounces, ruffles and other fineries. 

Then came the French Revolution, bringing 
forcibly to man's realization the importance of 
existence and the unimportance of fineries. 

The greatest strides in individualism and emanci- 
pation have been accomplished contemporaneously 
with the emancipation of man's clothes. 

Women often wish they were men, and I think the 
wish springs from the yet unrecognized advantages of 
the simplicity of their attire. It is something we must 
envy and respect them for — the only thing meriting 
envy. That the costume is unbeautiful is incidental, 
it might as well be beautiful without losing its good 
qualities. To think that at any time they are ready 
to go anywhere! They can wear their clothes for 
years which, according to some is because women 

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will not wear theirs for months. And when they take 
off their coats they are ready for useful activity! It 
is truly enviable. 

To what degree we are hampered by the choice of 
our clothes is impossible to determine. At every 
turn we are confronted by the question of what we 
shall wear, not always caused by the dearth of possi- 
bilities but rather by an embarrassment of riches. 
Who has not stood before a bulging wardrobe and 
found nothing just suitable? 

I will go further and say that as long as we are 
slaves to clothes, we are slaves. 

The Polymuriel is to have the same function as the 
"cutaway" and the dress suit. It is to be honored, 
respected and welcome everywhere. I hope sincerely 
it will not become a fad, as I feel certain I have con- 
verted everyone with my earnestness! But I rather 
hope that it will win its way slowly with those women 
who have appreciated the spirit of the suggestion and 
among those who will do it credit. Then it will live 
and become more useful from day to day and from 
year to year. I want it to make life just a little 
easier for most of us. 

As this is an innovation I have another suggestion 
that might interest you. 

You realize that this will replace nothing and dis- 
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place nothing. And here I might say that the idea 
that it will put out of work people who are now 
engaged in making fancy garments and trimmings is 
not sound. It will not reduce opportunities but will 
open up new fields of endeavor. It is a trail blazer, 
constructive rather than destructive. 

As the Polymuriel is quite new in its conception 
and it is still in our power to control it, there are some 
suggestions I should like to add. 

I should like to see the manufacture and distribu- 
tion centralized. 

I should like to see the work given to and executed 
by those who are in need of it and to whom it would 
do the most good, such as widowed and deserted 
mothers with families, or men or women released 
from prison, cripples, those — in short — who need a 
helping hand. 

I should like to see the work executed under con- 
ditions compatible with the needs of the workers. 

Then I should like to see the profits accruing from 
such an undertaking, which with your co-operation 
would be very large, used primarily to abolish child 
slavery. In time it could be applied to alleviate 
suffering in national calamities, such as earthquakes, 
floods, famine, conflagration. Or if the suggestion 

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should become of international interest, the funds 
might be used to bring about international dis- 
armament.* 

The needs are so great, the means so inadequate. 

I think the idea is worth a trial. It may be the idle 
dream of an idle dreamer, but it is in any event the 
expression of my good will towards my fellows. 

♦Written before the War, 1914. 



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Additional copies of this booklet may be 
procured at ten cents each by addressing 
'PolymurielJ in care of Dr. Charles H. 
Jaeger, 471 Park Avenue, New York City. 
Special rates for quantities. 



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